1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to communications systems, and more particularly to wireless communications systems, and the implementation and operation of wireless communications systems.
2. Description of Background
Wireless communications services represent a segment of the Worldwide telecommunications industry. Although the Telecommunications Act of 1996 may have been intended to open the competitive environment in the United States, allowing many new entrants into the local access loop, for example, growth has largely been constrained by several factors. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, factors endemic to many communications systems, such as limited bandwidth and capital costs as well as other constraints.
Conventional cellular networks are typically constructed to achieve a relatively uniform level of coverage over a service area. The service area typically extends to a larger area, such as to metropolitan or major population centers and major highway connections. Generally, the service area has been specifically adapted to serve roaming traffic, which may typically be billed at a higher rate. Roaming occurs when the mobile unit is outside the coverage area of its “home” cellular service provider and an alternative cellular provider handles the communication. A conventional wireless communications system is described by Robert C. Raciti, in CELLULAR TECHNOLOGY (July 1995), and CELLULAR NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE VOICE AND SHORT MESSAGE SERVICES, Telecommunications Standards Advisory Council of Canada (1997).
Wireless communications networks typically comprise three basic components: cell sites with RF base stations; Mobile Telephone Switching Offices (MTSO); and mobile phones that are provided to users or subscribers. Each base station typically includes a radio transceiver and controller, and provides radio communications to the mobile phone units operating in its cell. The cells are typically engineered into a network that is deployed in a hexagonal cell pattern, in order to provide local, regional, or national cellular coverage. The MTSO can link calls together using traditional copper, fiber optic, and/or microwave technology and act as a central office exchange, allowing users to place a call on local and/or long distance public telephone systems or mobile to mobile traffic. Mobile units may also be connected to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) operated by an Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (ILEC), Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC), Regional Bell Operating Company (RBOC), long distance carrier, or other telecommunications provider.
Mobile communications devices can take the form of hand-held phones, car phones, notebook computers, personal digital assistants, pen-based computers, palm-top computers, pagers, hand-held e-mail devices (such as those produced under the Blackberry™ brand), and portable data collection devices, to name a few. It is believed that, although the majority of cellular traffic may have traditionally been voice communications, the relative proportion of traffic that comprises data, text, and video, as a portion of a communicated message is increasing and is expected to increase dramatically in the coming years. The present invention is intended to work with all suitable wireless communications devices.
Network capacity is conventionally rationed, to avoid overuse of the network, by maintaining pricing levels that tend to limit casual usage. Use is conventionally metered by price.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional relationship between the cellular network infrastructure and a PSTN in wireless communications systems. FIG. 2 illustrates functions and interfaces that support voice services. The interface reference points are defined in the IS-41 standard, which is incorporated herein by reference, to ensure a proper interoperation of equipment.
A main feature of a cellular network voice service when compared with POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) is the geographical mobility of the mobile phone. The equipment and interfaces depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3 perform two main functions. First, the equipment and interfaces transmit and receive voice signals over the radio spectrum. Second, the equipment and interfaces track where each mobile phone is within the cellular network. This is called “mobility management” and can be performed by a Management Services Center (MSC). Other interfaces connect the cellular network to existing land line telephone networks, such as a PSTN or Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) for example, support authentication of users and equipment, or support special features, such as the Short Message Service, as shown in. FIG. 3.
Some generally accepted consensus standards applicable to wireless communications systems in general are identified in Tables 1-2, each of which standards are incorporated herein by reference.
TABLE 1Standards Applicable to Wireless Communications InterfacesApplicableCommentsInterfaceITU/ISOANSI/TIA/EIAA: BS to MSC Interfacen/aN/aIS-634Ai: MSC to PSTN interfaceX.25SS7IS-93-AB: MSC to VLR interfaceX.25SS7IS-41.2, IS-41.3C: MSC to HLR interfaceX.25SS7IS-41.2, IS-41.3D: VLR to HLR interfaceX.25SS7IS-41.2, IS-41.3Di: MSC to ISDN interface?T1.611IS-93-AE: MSC to MSC interfaceX.25SS7IS-41.2, IS-41.3, IS-41.4F: MSC to EIR interfaceNot definednot defined;H: HLR to AC interfaceX.25SS7IS-41.2, IS-41.3Q:X.25SS7IS-41.2, IS-41.3Um: BS to MS interface,N/aN/aIS-54-B (TDMA andwhich corresponds to theAMPS), IS-88 (NAMPS), IS-air interface95-A (CDMA)
Consensus standards for wireless communications networks have been promulgated by various bodies. Table 2 identifies some of these standards, each of which are incorporated herein by reference.
TABLE 2Wireless Communications StandardsANSI/TIA/EIAStandards:TIA/EIA-660Uniform Dialing Procedures and CallProcessing Treatment for Cellular RadioTelecommunications; TelecommunicationsIndustry AssociationTIA/EIA-664Cellular Features Description;Telecommunications Industry AssociationTIA/EIA/IS-93Cellular Radio Telecommunications Ai-DiInterfaces Standard; TelecommunicationsIndustry AssociationTIA/EIA/IS-41-C.1Cellular Radio TelecommunicationsIntersystem Operations: Functional Overview;Telecommunications Industry AssociationTIA/EIA/IS-41-C.2Cellular Radio TelecommunicationsIntersystem Operations: Intersystem Hand-offInformation Flows; TelecommunicationsIndustry AssociationTIA/EIA/IS-41-C.3Cellular Radio TelecommunicationsIntersystem Operations: Automatic RoamingInformation Flows; TelecommunicationsIndustry AssociationTIA/EIA/IS-41-C.4Cellular Radio TelecommunicationsIntersystem Operations: Operations,Administration, and Maintenance InformationFlows and Procedures; TelecommunicationsIndustry AssociationTIA/EIA/IS-41-C.5Cellular Radio TelecommunicationsIntersystem Operations: Signaling Protocols;Telecommunications Industry AssociationTIA/EIA/IS-41-C.6Cellular Radio TelecommunicationsIntersystem Operations:, Signaling Procedures;Telecommunications Industry AssociationTIA/EIA/IS-732Cellular Digital Packet Data Specification;Telecommunications Industry AssociationTIA/EIA/IS-634800-MHZ A-Interface Supporting AMPS,NAMPS, CDMA, TDMA Air Interfaces;Telecommunications IndustryAMPS:IEA/TIA-553Mobile Station - Land Station CompatibilitySpecificationCDMA:TIA/EIA/IS-95A Mobile Station - Base Station CompatibilityStandard for Dual-Mode Wideband SpreadSpectrum Cellular System;Telecommunications Industry AssociationTIA/EIA/IS-97Recommended Minimum PerformanceStandards for Base Stations Supporting Dual-Mode Wideband Spread Spectrum CellularMobile Stations; Telecommunications IndustryAssociationTIA/EIA/IS-637Short Message Services for Wideband SpreadSpectrum Cellular System;Telecommunications Industry AssociationDMH:TIA/EIA/IS-124Cellular Radio TelecommunicationsIntersystem Non-Signaling DataCommunications (DMH); TelecommunicationsIndustry AssociationNAMPS:TIA/EIA/IS-88Mobile Station - Land Station CompatibilityStandard for Dual-Mode Narrow Band AnalogCellular Technology; TelecommunicationsIndustry AssociationTIA/EIA/IS-91Mobile Station - Base Station CompatibilityStandard for 800 MHZ Analog Cellular;Telecommunications Industry AssociationTDMA:TIA/EIA/IS-54-BCellular System Dual-Mode Mobile Station -Base Station Compatibility Standard;Telecommunications Industry AssociationTIA/EIA/IS-136800 MHz TDMA Cellular - Radio Interface -Mobile Station - Base Station CompatibilityStandard; Telecommunications IndustryAssociationANSI T1 Standards:T1.111Signaling System Number 7 - MessageTransfer Part (MTP)T1.112Signaling System Number 7 - SignalingConnection Control Part (SCCP)T1.114System Number 7 - Transaction CapabilitiesApplication Part (TCAP)T1.611Signaling System Number 7 (SS7) -Supplementary Services for Non-ISDN-SubscribersT1.209Operations, Administration, Maintenance, andProvisioning (OAM&P) - Network Tones andAnnouncementsITU-T Standards:T.50International Reference Alphabet (IRA)formerly Alphabet No. 5 (or IA5)Other RelatedDocuments:SR-TSV-002275Notes on the LEC Networks; BellCommunications Research Inc.TR-NWT-000776Network Interface Description for NationalISDN-1 Customer Access; BellCommunications Research Inc.
FIG. 3 depicts a cellular network, which further includes a Message Center (MC) and Short Message Entity (SME). The interface reference points in FIG. 3, which support, for example, the Short Message Service, are as follows: Interface M is the SME to MC interface; Interface N is the MC to BLR interface.
The conventional cellular industry typically characterizes usage patterns based upon the number of minutes a phone is used during a billing cycle, such as each month. Table 3 identifies characteristic usage patterns by the number of minutes used per month.
TABLE 3Traditional Market SegmentationPrior to the Present InventionBased upon Minutes of Usage (MOU)MinutesAverageUsageof Use per MonthRevenue per UserVery Heavy>500>$100Heavy400-500min./mo. >$75Business200-300min./mo.$40-75Consumer100-150min./mo.$25-40Mass Market15-20min./mo.$15-25
In a conventional cellular network, the mass market customer group is often considered sensitive to price, relative to heavy users. Prior to the present invention, due to the deficiencies of the generally accepted business model for cellular operations, marketing efforts were not generally devoted to this customer segment. Yet, it is believed this lowest customer segment (in terms of usage and ARPU) is also the most numerous.
Therefore, the need exists for a telecommunications method and system that will provide more desirable service to the largest user segments, which segments are, at present, substantially under-serviced, and which will provide this method and system in a profitable manner for the system operator.